Camber adjusting tool



Feb. 22, 1949.

H. v. .JUNGSTy 2,462,403

CAMBER .ADJUSTING TOOL Filed Aug. e, 1945 y Summer j Homan V.JuNc1s7r l .Bg

,j Gttornc Patented Feb. 22, 1949 CAMBER ADJUSTING lTOOL Homer V. Jungst, Seattle, Wash.; Mary J. Jungst executrix of said Homer V. Jungst, deceased ,Application August 6, 1945, Serial No. 609,177

13 Claims. 1

The adjustment of camber in the steerable Wheels (usually the front wheels, and so designated hereafter) of automotive vehicles is and has always been of extreme importance, not only to trouble-free, safe operation of the Vehicle, but also to the avoidance of tire wear. Independent spring suspension of the front wheels, or so called knee-action, has rendered obsolete old tools and methods of adjusting camber, wherein the adjustment was accomplished by bending the axle itself one way or the other. The spindies are now carried by a spindle support arm, which extends vertically between the two laterally projecting, generally horizontal arms or links by which it is mounted upon the frame, Provision i-s usually made in such mountings for a small amount of camber adjustment, but this is of such limited range, and is usually adjusted at the factory to the limit, that there is left no further adjustability, or insuillcient adjustability, when required in the field. The range of such adjustment is so slight that it will not accommodate adjustments to the extent often necessary after accidents, or to compensate for extensive wear. Accordingly, such camber adjustments as are normally required in the eld are usually accomplished by bending the spindle supporting arm, and the attempt is always to bend such arm so accurately that no necessity remains for making any iine adjustment by manipvulatingl the built-in adjusting means, for this at best is not an easy operation.

The independent spring suspensions for the front Wheels, and companion improvements, have introduced in the wheel mounting and assembly various elements, such as rubber bumpers, levers, exible brake conduits, sway braces, and other mechanism, so compactly located and assembled as to make access to the steering spindle support arm difcult, and particularly is it difficult to apply a bending device to the spindle support arm, which is strong enough and isecurely, quickly. and easily enough mountable to eiect the desired cold bending of such spindle support arm. Moreover, the space is so encumbered by the devices indicated, which form part of the steering system and brake system, that there is not readily available sufficient room for Y the required bending movement of such a bendternative of using heat to soften the steering knuckle so that it will bend more easily with less eiort and less movement of the bending bar; Heating of such a steering knuckle i's inherently disadvantageous, for it weakens it, and entails the further disadvantage that the heat, in a crowded space such as this, cannot be properly controlled, and is liable to burn or seriously damage rubber bumpers, brake uid hoses, and the like, and to take the temper out of springs or other :structural parts. Nor is dismounting of vehicle parts desirable, for an excessive amount of time is consumed in the dismounting, remounting, and readjusting of such parts.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a tool whereby cold bending of such a spindle support arm may be accomplished without the dismounting of any part of the vehicle, ordinarily not even the wheel itself, anld by which, therefore, a bending operation can be done easily and in a fraction of the time heretofore required.

It i's a further disadvantage of bending mechanisin for the operation described, such as has been heretofore available, that while the camber might be increased, it was only with the greatest of diiiiculty that it might be decreased, and to effect a decreasing operation, if the increasing operation had produced too great a bend, as was not infrequently the case, it was necessary to `=dismount the entire tool and to reassemble it in a dierent operative position upon the spindle support arm. This all takes time, and adds materially tothe cost of the operation. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool which, without dismounting, and with but slight rearrangement, hence with a minimum of time consumed, may accomplish either an increase or a decrease in the wheels camber, to the further end that the workman will not be tempted to overlook, for instance, a slightly exing has progressed, so that, -after gauging,` he may restore parts to that 'zero position and accomplishsuchadditionalbending, in 'either direction, as the gauging has indicated to be necessary. Y

It is also an object of the invention to provide a tool of the nature indicated which shall be oi simple construction, rugged, and adapted by simple adjustments to various makes of cars and types of steering systems or wheel suspensions.

The provisionfoi ifa tool of f-this l .nature which can be appl-iedbythe'operator whilainitarccs-: fortable position, and hence which can be applied easily and quickly, is a further object.

With the'se and other objects in mind,ras will become apparent as the specicationrprogre-sses, the invention comprises theqiovel toolf,.,andf.the novel parts thereof, in combinationVasshown the accompanying drawings in an illustrative form, and as is more particlrlarlyedescribedeaird deiined in this specification and in the claims which terminate the same.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tool, shown applied'f toftheespindle: support :arm of van fautomobilean'd #Figure r2 iis ia front feier/ation of 'fthe saine. y

.tEligure is are'erspectiveviewof' the torque bar, looking atiits underside, andiflligureisisa similar view offfthe associated e'ieverrarmor'sseeurement totthevtorquefbar.

fllig'ure 5r is. perspective" -vfiewiof the upper part, and ,Figure e6 fis es. :perspective Pviewiofthe 'lower partpp'f :the 'two'eipartrlholdedown link.

iInfthe'drawingstl'retool i'ss'liown applied to the ightfrontzspindleffsupportearmfA. v:flln's spindle .support tis pivotallyf supported tat its upper end byf1arslrortilinkizamtli'its :lower fend. -isfp'ivotor to enable its use, and removal of other parts is not at all necessary, nor desirable.V

A torque bar l is intended to be disposed horizontally in use, and extending in a forward and rearward direction.

While it might extend forwardly, it has been found most advantageous to extend it rearwardly. -eItsffor-ward end is slotted or forked, inwardly fromthe endVas indicated at Il, to straddle the spindle support arm A, so that the arm A is engaged at two vertically spaced points at respectively opposite side of the arm.

'LItis -ewholly' unnecessary to clamp the spindle arm A; to-.do so requires dismounting of many 5,parts .accessory to the wheel, and requires the Varef,:.pi\fotefd iat itheirfinner lends uponthe 'automobiierrame structure"(in-ottshcwvu)'l .Further `details 'of :tl-1e fautomebiie strutture fhave been omitted;forftheyv aref conventional, fan'u iny themjects into the space between the liks'TBandfC,

shown, such s'tlflucmrl elements'as 1 the Trame, 'rubber bumpers rth'ereon, aandfoutwardly -f-of l the :Spindler support'farmfA there lis" the #spindle A'itslf, :the `:bralie Y."flrUrn, ebrarke foperating "methanismineluding agbrakeliuidfconduit; arid thefllke.

Y 'beremoved-'fand is neededy ing'place 'fior gauging.

ini-somecases itmaybe'hesirablel to remove the wheel,` in order to .determine theadjustedgposition 'the'builti-in camber ,adjusting device, .inonder tofdetermine' if fitcanlbe turnedkbackztoa .lesser adjustment, .andothus to .Lavoid /thee-necessity of bending, assuming. that aficamber gaugehasish-own f the need .for .increase'dcamben .This builtin.\ad

justmentlis husually saspart fof the pivot between theupperllinklsand'ithe:.uppersendfofithezspindie Y support arm. -Removalaoffthewheeli-fisxunneces- -selvesfiformmopartfftne presentsnven'tion. As i@ Y is'wvell'lmown,rnoweverthef rramefstructure'proexpenditure of much time and effort, all of which l-:is zavoi'ded, "in *the .present device, because the torque bar is othelwise supported (as will later appearV'in such manner that it cannot well become disengaged from .the spindle support arm Aduring bending.

-Asbest 'shownlin-Figure '2, for the camber in `creasing operation-assumed to be necessary, the engagement of the torque bar A l with the outer side ofthe arm A- lies above the torque bars point of engagementiwith the inner sideof the arm A, and `both these pointslieabove the-king post bracket K-which is Va jpart of the Aarm A.- These points of engagement-shouldbe'as near the upper end of the' spindlefsupportfarm vas-possible, for 1ere it 'is' thinnest Iandfbends most easily.

To support the opposite-end ofthe torque bar I, and to prevent its disengagement from the spindle support arm A, hold-down means are provided, andfthese may 'in general :take'vanydesired form, vand may loe-connected to'the torquebar in various ways. `vConvenient-ly:-such 'hold-"down means are :tormed'in'twqparts 3 yandg, these two parts .being held'tojgether :adjustablyfas to length, and pivotally faboutwan #axistransversely of the car,

Y by` thev holes el -an'd thefpin32. `{Seats-33"separate sarytofenable ttingthabendlng device infinies@ z5 thewlower,portion-ofintoftwo parts, of'which the lower partvtfmay; project through an aperture in .theplate of .'platform'P, and itl is held vagainst .upward tension bya pinf35 :received in a hole 36.

At its upper end*.the-:upper-part 3 of the hold.- .down "means v"is @provided 'with an aperture `3", whichis preferably-elongated, as shown, to engage Vover-acomplementa]ly shaped but somewhat ro- `tatedhead-i3fon1the'torquebar I. The-hold-down :means then supp0rtsfthefend-of the torque` bar which is opposite its :forkedendfrom dropping .d0wn,a1so holds :itvagainst an upward pull, and their interengagement :prevents separation end'- wiseof thelbar-L -By suitable-adjustment the torque barwlrrnayr-:be-.kept substantially level, regardlessof the/elevation of ythe spirfdle'support 5arm A. fsincethepivot axis defined by the pin 32V is transverse relativatozthezcar, the upper part .3may swingffdown--upon the-runway P to enable -aca-r tofrun Aon oroff,A andwhen the part 3 is en- ,gaged with thek torquebar, torque-induced forces therein tending tofrockthe `l.lir'1l:3, Sil transverse] are 'adequately resistedl Connected to andprojecting laterally from'the :torque bar I isfaleverrarmZ. AThislever arm conceivably `may be"a1-perrnanerit"part` of the torque ar-m; but :for-conveniencef'of lassembly and oper'-v .ativeA positioning, n'as v:well-as -for convenience of storage, it is preferred that the lever arm'2 be separable fromftheotorquerbar l. Accordingly, the :torque'rbar 'is provide'd' withfanchorage means, .-'sonlewhatfoutstanizlirrgfironrtheE axis of the torque :ba-r, for these'curement of 'the'lever arm. 2. "These anchorage means, ltas.,f`shown',:.talee the fo'rrii of paired ears I2 and I4 projecting one pair to one side and the other pair to the opposite side of the torque bar, and spaced lengthwise thereof. Each set of ears is provided with apertures I for the reception of a pin I5, which also passes through one of the apertures ZEi in the lever arm 2. From this point of securement, outwardly of the axis of the torque bar, the lever 2 extends beneath the bar, where it is fulcrumed at 2l upon the bar, and thence generally laterally outwardly at the opposite side of the torque bar to a terminus such as the pad 22, where it is engaged by the plunger t@ of an upwardly acting jack 4 resting upon the platform P, or upon a rocker pad, not shown.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings the parts are so assembled that upon the application of an upwardly acting force through the jack Il, upon the outwardly projecting arm 2 at the rear end of the rearwardly directed torque bar I, there is produced a tendency to bend the spindle support arm A in a direction such that the camber is increased. If, however, the lever is engaged with the anchorage ears Ill, instead of the ears I2, the lever arm 2 will project in the opposite direction, or inwardly in the set-up illustrated, and the upwardly acting force produced by the jack 4 will effect a bend in the spindle support arm such as will decrease the camber of the wheel. As is evident, if it is necessary to effect a decrease in camber, following an increase which has progressed too far, and which cannot be cured by adjustment of the built-in camber adjustment, it is only necessary to engage the lever arm 2 with the other set of ears I4, and to engage the jack with the lever, and thus to effect a reverse bend of thespindle support arm A.

In order to determine to what extent the bending has progressed, and to be able to .come back to that attained position as a new zero position, in the event further bending is found to be necessary after gauging the wheel, there are provided gauge means in association with the torque bar and the hold-down means. Thus, a gauge nger 5 is carried by the torque bar l, and cooperates with an index mark 50 upon the apertured upper end of the hold-down link part 3. The index finger 5 is adjust-able angularly about the axis of the torque bar I by means of a slot 5I in its supporting plate 52, and a set screw 53 threaded in the torque bar.

In operation, after straddling the uppermost part of the spindle support arm A with the fork l! of the torque gba-r, the opposite end of the torque bar is supported by the hold-down means from the platform P, and then the lever arm is engaged with the appropriate `pair of ears I2 and lil, and the jack is engaged beneath the outer end of the lever arm. Obviously any form of jack means may be employed, or any means to effect an upward force on the end of the lever arm. Slight pressure of the jack upon the pad 22 tensions the hold-down means 3, 3U, and securely `grips the spindle supp-ort arm A by the fork I I preventing vertical or longitudinal shifting of the torque bar I relative to the spindle suplport arm.

After further application of force to an extent which experience indicates is sufficient to effect the desired bending of the spindle support arm A, the gauge finger 5 is set opposite the gauge mark 5d to indicate the attained position of the parts, and vthen the jack is relaxed.v The jack being upright, it remains in proper operative relationship with the lever arm, should further bending be required. The wheel is gauged by wheel gauges of known type, to determine its camber.

If its camber is still insufficient, assuming an increasing operation is being performed, the jack is cau-sed to exert further bending force in the same sense, past the gauge point previously attained. If on the contrary the bending has progressed too far, it is necessary only to engage the lever arm 2 with the other set of ears, such as Iii, to shift the jack into position to engage the levers free end, and to effect reverse bending. A chain over the car frame, to e, suitable holddown anchorage, holds the car against lifting under the influence of reverse bending forces. In all cases parts can be restored to their attained position in accordance with the setting of the gauge members 5 and 56.

Because the torque bar I has a simple forked end at l I, and because it projects gener-ally horizontally in a forward and rearward direction to a point distant from the spindle support arm A, it avoids most of the mechanism in the vicinity of the spindle support arm, and can be readily engaged with or disengaged from that support arm without disassembly of any parts of the car. It has been found in all cases that there is ample room for engagement and movement of the lever arm 2, without interference with parts of steering mechanism or ofthe automobile itself. The operation is a simple one, both to place the tool in operative position and to effect the bending operation, and it is also simpleV to effect reverse bending as required. Meanwhile all bending is under control of the gauge means 5 and 5E, by which may be ascertained the extent of bending, and by which it is possible to replace parts in the position they assumed at the end of any preceding bend, as a starting point for further bending. l

I claim as my invention:

l. Means for adjusting wheel camber, comprising a torque bar slotted inwardly from one end to straddle the spindle support arm, and when so engaged extending generally horizontally .in a forward and rearward direction, means to retain the distant end of said torque. bar against displacement, and a lever connected by oneend to said bar outwardlyT of` its torque thence extending beneath and fulcrumed by said torque bar, for engagement of its opposite end by an upwardly acting jack to produce a bending torque in said torque bar, at the engaged spindle support arm.

2. The combination of claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means comprises an upright link apertured at its upper end to receive the end of the torque bar and having means at its lower end for securement to a xed anchorage.

3. The combination. of claim l, characterized in that the retaining means comprises a two-part upright link apertured at its upper end to receive the end of the torque bar, and having means at its lower end for securernent to a fixed anchorage, and means for adjustably securingl together the two parts of said link, for different lengths.

4. The combination of claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means comprises a two-part upright link apertured at its upper end to receive the end of the torque bar, and having means at its lower end for securement to a fixed anchorage, the two parts being pivotally connected for swinging of the upper part relative to the lower part about an axis extending transversely of the car.

5. The combination of claim 1, characterized inaf-that-z---thesretaining means; comprises a lower' part,r .hailing-fineansfrfor engagement with an anchorageaztofzmaintairnsit; unaided, in upright posi-- i .tieni and 'an upper part:adjustable-vertically relative to; theplowenpa-rtand llingedly` connected therettrfer.l swinging ini a-forward and. rearward plane,- relative ;-to.the -car-,fandyformed at its upper end Vforzpivotalmountingof the end of the torque I 6v? Means for adjusting wheel camber;v corn-pris-r ingfafterque bar slottedfinwardlyl from. oneend;

tee` straddlef the spindle ,supporti arm. and when sof engaged;A extending generally horizontally in ani-.forwardandrearward direction, means-to retain-.f the dis-tant` end. of. said.` torque bar against displacement vertically; laterally, and lengthwise, a lever arm, two anchorage means on said torque bane'ngageablef-by said lever arm alternatively,

' a forward and,rearwarddirection, means to retain thedis-tant endof: saidR torque bar against displacement; a lever a-rrnfconnected.by` one end to-said bar outwardly: ofv itstorque axis, and thenceffextending beneathand-fulcrumed by said torque-bar; for. engagement of its opposite en d by an.- uxtiwa-rdlyfv acting.v jack to produceVw a bending torque in said torque bar, at the engaged spindlesupport arm, and gaugemeansinteracting between -saidtorque barandsaidfhold-down means fordetermining the extent of the corrective bendingy 8.- 'Ihecombination of.r claim. 7, characterized inf-.the-provisionof means-for adjusting the gaugemeansftoindicate-anydesired position ofdepa-rture;

Si Means foradjusting wheel camber comprisinga torque bark slotted longitudinally inwardly fromeoneendto straddle the spindle support arm,

` and when Soengaged extending generally horizontally in.V a i forward.Y and. rearward direction, means to secure the distant end of said torque bar .'ng-ainstv displacement, anchorage means.. formed integrally. with. said.. torque bar. and projecting laterally therefrom,4 anda leverY arm, removablyl secured tofsaid anchorage me.ans,outwardly from the torque bars axis, andlextending thenceto a fulcrum-atthesunder side of saidtorque bar, and

beyond. for. engagement by an. upwardly acting jack, wproduce abending torquein said bar., at the. engaged spindle support. arm.v

lDf., 'I'hecombination of. claimv 9;. characterized in ther provision of. a-se'cond1 oppositely project-` ing-anchoragelmeanson the torquebar,A for alternative-i and-similar? engagementbyf -tlre lever, arm-p toproduce an -oppositetorque inzthe han 11.- Means` for 'adjustingv wheel;cambe'r` come n prising a torque bar slotted longitudinally.,inwards4 ly from one end' yto straddle the spindle; support arm, and when so engaged. extendinggenerally.A

horizontally and rearwardly, means to hold down;

the rear end of said torque -bar, a pair. ofv spaced1 ears projecting laterally from said--tortpieban` and;

a-lever arm-engageable by oneend-betweensaid;

port arm, and whenso engaged extending gene` erally horizontally. and rearwardly, means to retain-the rear end of. said torquebar-againstdis-r placement, apair-of spaced ears projecting lat-r erallyfrom said torque ban-,a lever armengagef.

able-hy one end between said ears, ,and-projecting:-

thence beneath and laterally beyond-thetorque-- bar, for engagement of its oppositeend byv an4 upwardly acting jack, thereby-to -produce-abending torque* in said torque bar, at the engagedspindle support arm, an index nger extending longitudinally of said torque bar-for cooperation. with index-mark. upon said hold-downmeans; and-means to adjust said indexfinger-fangularly. about the torque axis of-said-bar;

13; Means for bending.- spindlesupport arms-,- comprising a generally horizontal tor-quei barslotte'd inwardly from4 one` end to engage the: spindle support arm at twoverticallyspaced points respectively at theinnerand outersides of said spindle support arm, a-lever-arm supported from said torque bar at .af-point spaced-outwardly from the axis ofsaid torque bar; saidlever armextending thence transversely beyond and fuifv crumedibeneath the torque bar,- Wherebyanup. wardly acting force, by suitable-jack, means enf. gaged with Vthe levers opposite end, producesa torque inthe torquebar, acting between the two points of' engagement with the spindle support arm, to bend thelatter.-

HOMER V. JUNGST.

REEERENCES CITED Thev following references are-of record in the ijle of' this patent: V

UNIT-ED SYIA'ITES.y PATENTS Fullenwider Apr. 

